Consumed by Truths (Truth or Lies 6)

Do I trust him now? Is he stable enough to handle this?

Yes.

He may be heartbroken, but we’ve fought so many battles side by side I know what he’s capable of. I know he fights almost automatically. He won’t let his feelings cloud his judgment. He won’t let his pain affect anything.

I have no doubts.

I give Langston the signal to brace himself, and then I press the button that will spark the explosion.

Nothing happens.

I press it again.

Nothing.

I look at Langston whose eyes have clouded over. He isn’t here.

Fuck.

He was supposed to hook up the last explosives. He failed. He’s not ready for this.

We should retreat.

But it’s too late.

We’ve been spotted.

It’s fight or die. And I’m not letting Langston die—not again. Even if he’d rather die to deal with his pain.

“Cover me,” I say, hoping he can kill people from the bunker and not risk his own life, because if he hesitates for a second, he could die. And I won’t survive watching him die.

I jump out of the bunker we are hiding in and start firing my weapon. I run away from Langston, trying to draw the enemy away from him.

It work

s.

Felix’s men start chasing me.

I grin.

I’d rather take them down one by one than watch them die in an explosion anyway. But still, I want the house crumbling. I want the house burning. I want nothing left for Felix to return to.

One.

Two.

Three.

Three shots, three men down.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Three more down.